Tent



June 2, 1931. v TERZOL] 1,808,693

TENT

Filed April 16, 1929 \f; ML F g I N l MI 'll.

ATTYS:

Patented June 2, 1931 UNITED STATES UMBERTO TERZOLI, or ROME, may 1 TENTApplication filed April 16, 1929, seria1 naassjse, and anayaprnja,192s." i

The invention relates to a funicular girder structure for supportinglarge surfaces of flexible coverings and especially tent-cloth.

The structure according to the invention 5 consists in a flexible part(rope, chain, or the like) conveniently supported at its ends and theoverall length of which may be modified by means of inserted stretchers,tackles or the like, and in rigid struts having one 1 of their endshinged to said flexible part in points thereof which are the points of afunicular polygon or of a catenary, while the other end may be fastenedto the covering to be supported and which has the struts hearing againstit.

The invention will be more clearly understood by reference to thefollowing description and to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a constructional form with a simple funicular girder andwith a slightly curved covering;

Figures 2 and 3 show an application of the invention to compoundfunicular girders for a slightly curved and a plain coveringrespectively.

In the drawings, ais the anchorage,

. t is the covering, for example of tentcloth, which is prolonged to theground, p-

are the supporting posts or walls, 0 are the rigid struts and -f theflexible ropes or chains.

In the case of a simple funicular girder (Figure 1) the structure ismade up of two 5 ropes f 7, of which the lower one is adapted'to haveits length modified by means of stretchers or the like. In Fig. Qthe guyropes are shown at f f, and f while in Fig. 3 the series of upper guyropes are indicated 40 at f and the lower guy ropes at 7". Suitable turnbuckles such as g are provided for at least some of the said guy ropes.These ropes are secured to the posts p-- in a point which is somewhatbelow the supporting 5 point of the covering, for the purpose ofassisting the girder to remain in the vertical plane. Rigid struts -e ina suitable number are hinged with one of their ends to the lower rope-f, while at the u per end they 5 are fastened to the surface to esupported,

so that the struts are fixed at their, ends in the plane ofthefunicula'r girder. p

A variation of the lengthof the tension member (for "instance of the'lower rope f) resultsin'alarger or smallerpush of the struts on thesurface [of the clothtobe supported, which is thus caused to stretch.

The weightof this surface andit s'reac'tion to the distensionestablishesthe equilibrium respecting the push of the'struts and the ten Sion ofthe flexible member.

Theabove Edescribed simple funicular girder may alsob'e a compound irder(Fig V ures 2 and 3), viz; the interval etween two successive struts ofafirst compoundgirder may bereinfor'c'ed' another smaller funicularelementary girder, which bears o'njthe struts of the compound" girder.mentary girder has its flexible part and its own struts difl'erent fromthose of the funicular compound girder, While the fastening This feleofthe upper endsof the struts is the same as that of the compoundgirder,-this fastening being represented by the surface to be supported.

of Course h invention is not limited to the constructional forms abovedescribedand shown in the drawings, but it embracesfon the contrary allpossible variations.

What I claim is: I 1. A supporting structure for flexible coverings,comprising an elongated flexible mem ber, a covering arranged above saidmember,

and rigid struts arranged between said member and said covering fortransferring substantially the entire load of" the covering to themember.

2. A supporting structure for flexible coverings, comprising anelongated flexible member, a covering to be supported arranged abovesaid member, and rlgid compression struts arranged between said memberand said I covering for transferring substantially the entire load ofthe covering to the member.

3. A supporting structure for flexible cov erings, comprising anelongated flexible member, a covering to be supported arranged a abovesaid member, and compression members arranged between said member and sad covering and transferring substantially the .entire load of thecovering tothe member.

' 4. A supportingstructure for flexible coverings, comprising aplurality of elongated v flexible members, varranged in substantiallyend-to-end relation, a covering arranged above said members andextending thereover, a plurality of rigid strutsarranged between each ofsaid members and said covering, an elongated flexible member extendingin the general direction of the first-mentionedmem-- bers, and havingalength substantially equal 1 to their combined length, and at least onestrut between said last-mentioned member and said covering, fortransferring the load of said covering, which has been shaped by thefirst-mentioned struts and members, to said last-mentioned member. e x

5. A supporting structure for flexible coverings, comprising anelongated flexible member assuming a catenary; curve, postssubstantially at each end thereoflfor supporting the same, a secondflexible member extending taut between said posts,-andjoined thereto atsub- .stantially' thesame points as the first-mentioned member, forpreventing spreading of v the posts, a covering to. be supported mountedon said posts above said members, and rigid struts extending betweenamember and said covering. c

v In testimony whereof I have aflixed vsignature.

i it UMBERTO ITERIZOLIQ

